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Brazil police push into slums in Rio

The Associated Press

Updated:
03/30/2014 04:56:38 AM EDT

RIO DE JANEIRO—About 1,000 Brazilian police officers have begun invading a massive complex of slums near Rio de Janeiro's international airport, the latest impoverished area to be targeted for the government's "pacification" program.

The security effort began in 2008 and is meant to help secure Rio before this year's World Cup and the 2016 Olympics.

Armored personnel carriers on loan from the Navy were used during the push into the Mare complex of shantytowns before dawn Sunday. Army soldiers are expected to start patrolling the area in the coming days.

Mare has been dominated by drug gangs for decades. In recent months, they have attacked police outposts in other slums, a direct challenge to security ahead of Brazil's big events.

To date, there have been 37 police "pacification" outposts created in Rio.